Basketball is a game of speed, endurance and dexterity that enhances fitness. Amateur and professional athletes alike play wheelchair basketball in leagues around the world. Wheelchair basketball rules vary somewhat by country, region, division and league, but basically are played in accordance to the men's National Collegiate Athletic Association rules, except for modifications designed to accommodate the use of wheelchairs and to establish fairness and eligibility, as described by the National Wheelchair Basketball Association.
Players
Anyone with paralysis of the lower body or with a permanent, severe leg disability is eligible. Players are classified as Class I if they have motor loss at T-7 or above. Class II players have motor loss starting at T-8 extending through L-2, where they may have power of hips and thighs, or they may be amputees with bilateral hip disarticulation, meaning the loss of both limbs starting at the hip joint. Players with all other lower limb physical disabilities originating at L-3 or lower are classified as Class III.
Team Balance
Class I players are assigned a point value of 1, Class II a value of 2 and Class III a value of 3. The sum of values for players on the court cannot exceed 12. Women can play on men's teams and are assigned a value 1 point below their class level.
Wheelchair Rules
The wheelchair must be equipped with a roll bar or some other protection to prevent damage to the floor. The chair seat can be no higher than 21 inches from the floor and the foot platform can be no higher than 4 7/8 inches from the floor. Seat cushions can be no thicker than 2 inches for Class III players and 4 inches for other players. The wheelchair is considered to be part of the player. All rules that apply to players, such as rules regarding contact between players, crossing boundary or foul lines, charging and blocking, apply to the wheel chair. If a player with the ball tips the chair backward and the anti-tip casters touch the ground, the ball is turned over to the other team.
Falling
When a player falls out of the chair, officials allow the particular play to continue before blowing their whistles, unless the player is at risk of injury by the action. If a player falls out of the chair to get possession of the ball, or if he keeps an opponent from getting the ball, the ball is given to the other team.
Dribble
Players dribble by wheeling the chair and bouncing the ball simultaneously. Also, a player who has the ball can push on one or both wheels up to two times without dribbling the ball. If the player pushes the wheels more than twice without dribbling, it is considered to be a traveling violation.
Physical Advantage Foul
Players must remain seated in the wheelchair. A player who uses a functional leg or stump to gain advantage is charged with a physical advantage foul. Two free throws are awarded to an opposing player, and the ball is given to the opposing team. A player is disqualified from the game if he commits three physical advantage fouls.
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